Big enough to convince a Nebraska football
season ticket holder that it was time to become a Husker basketball
season ticket holder. The second Talley made his dramatic shot in the
second-to-last game ever played inside the Devaney Center, this devout
Husker fan knew exactly what he needed to do – buy a boarding pass on
the Tim Miles Energy Bus.

I knew where this new season ticket holder
was coming from because we were communicating in real time on Saturday
afternoon. Within seconds of Talley’s bulls-eye, Steve Sinclair said:
“That’s it. I’m done thinking about buying season tickets. I’m buying
them!”

And sure enough, on Monday morning, Sinclair, retired after serving most of his adult life at the Omaha World-Herald, including his last 14 years as sports editor, went straight to this
important link
on Huskers.com to begin the process. “We’re excited to get on the
ground floor,” Sinclair said, referring to him and wife Kathy climbing
aboard Nebraska basketball’s greatest adventure in what will be one of
America’s finest arenas.

Criteria: Admiration, Appreciation, Anticipation

I ask Sinclair why he followed through on his instincts.

“First, my admiration for the way the Huskers
have played all season despite their limitations, and then to see them
rewarded by coming back the way they did to get the win against Iowa,”
Sinclair said.

Second, my appreciation for Tim Miles and
what he’s done since the first day he arrived. He changed the mindset
for all of us who have always wondered why we’ve never won an NCAA
Tournament game,” Sinclair said.

“Third, just the anticipation of moving into a
new arena downtown and having the chance to be a part of something that
will never happen again in our lifetime,” Sinclair said. “Talley’s
winning shot was awesome. It was unbelievable, and I think Coach Miles
and his staff will recruit the kind of players who are going to make
more shots just like that one.”

Let the record show that Sinclair, who has
attended several Nebraska home games this season, watched Saturday’s
theatrics in Omaha, connecting to a live video stream to his cell phone.
He appreciated the experience, even enjoyed it, but it wasn’t anything
close to being there. “That new arena will change downtown Lincoln,” he
said, “and as much as we enjoy TV, we’d much rather be there to watch it
live.”